Thursday, April 2, 2015

Review: Normal by Graeme Cameron

Title: Normal
Author: Graeme Cameron
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Mira (March 31, 2015)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Thriller
My Rating: 4.5 Stars!


Book Description:
"The truth is I hurt people. It's what I do. It's all I do. It's all I've ever done." 

He lives in your community, in a nice house with a well-tended garden. He shops in your grocery store, bumping shoulders with you and apologizing with a smile. He drives beside you on the highway, politely waving you into the lane ahead of him. 

What you don't know is that he has an elaborate cage built into a secret basement under his garage. And the food that he's carefully shopping for is to feed a young woman he's holding there against her will—one in a string of many, unaware of the fate that awaits her. 

This is how it's been for a long time. It's normal... and it works. Perfectly. 

Then he meets the checkout girl from the 24-hour grocery. And now the plan, the hunts, the room... the others. He doesn't need any of them anymore. He needs only her. But just as he decides to go straight, the police start to close in. He might be able to cover his tracks, except for one small problem—he still has someone trapped in his garage. 

Discovering his humanity couldn't have come at a worse time. 









This book surprised me with how much I liked it. Not because I was expecting the writing to be bad, or even because I didn't think the storyline would be interesting, but rather because, this story is told through the mind of a sociopath. The voice, is one of a killer and as weird and messed up as it sounds, it was a fascinating read and hard to put down. 

This jumped right into the gore, right into the heart of the storyline. 

There is nothing quite like the dark twisted mind of someone deeply disturbed. To see the inner workings of a mad man. To constantly be torn between horrified and unable to look away. Like a train wreck where you can't help but look, wondering who possibly could have survived it and wondering how many died. 

Not your typical read and definitely not for the faint of heart.

Is the author a master, or someone just as mad as the narrator? Honestly, I still am not sure.

What makes this read the most frightening of all if how normal the person on the outside seems when on the inside he is in every sense of the word, a monster.

Like the monsters that have come before him, those in fiction and real life, he wears the face of someone seemingly innocent. Seemingly sane, average, and harmless.

Gah this book! It was crazy and messed up and completely enthralling. I am so glad I took a chance on it and read it because it truly was a unique, bizarre, sick, and yet fun ride. 







*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

45 comments:

  1. This is such a fascinating read. I love how you're well into it, even though it's not something that you read on a regular basis. Great review, Ali!

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    1. Thanks so much Joy! It really was fascinating!

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  2. I first saw Christy review this and I absolutely wanted to read it immediately. The premise alone is just so intriguing... we don't oftentimes read about these kind of perspectives, and I always welcome dark novels because it allows us to "understand" these kind of people, to a certain extent. Can't wait to dive into it as well!

    Faye at The Social Potato

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  3. I was able to get a review copy of this book from Netgalley and I'm excited to get started! Glad you loved it! The synopsis already sounds so chilling and terrifying. Awesome review!

    Blessie @ Mischievous Reads

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    1. I hope you love it Bessie, it was just....I don't know, something about it made it hard to put down.

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  4. Intriguing, to say the least. Though I have noticed a certain demand both for male narrators and bad guys lately... I will definitely read this - I can't possibly say no after reading your review :) Great job!

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  5. I love books told from the POV of sociopaths! It's just so morbid and so fascinating. I didn't even know about this book before now, Ali, but I'm so jumping on this train.
    Lovely review!

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    1. Ooo I really hope you do because you will love this Nick. I am so excited to see what you think!

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  6. Christy really loved this one too Ali and I'm more than a little morbidly curious, but how gory does it get? I'm all for dark, twisted stories but I don't handle gore very well. Fail.

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    1. It really isn't all that gory in detail, not like it could have been. Very subtle even at times.

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    2. I loved how the author just hinted to the gore, the sex as well. It happened, but it wasn't all spelled out for the reader. that is what makes it so good, it all happens in your imagination!

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  7. Oh, the pressure! Everyday I read a stellar review for this & I feel like a chump because I didn't even give this a second look when I first saw the arc. My loss, most definitely!

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    1. If it helps I didn't either until I saw Christy's review for it and she told me to read it. I am so glad that I did though.

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  8. Oh, this sounds great! I like that it has a different viewpoint... that of the criminal rather than the victim or the police. I'll have to check this one out, thanks :)

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    1. I think that is what made it so fascinating was the different view point and that it really isn't your every day kind of read.

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  9. I loved this book, as well. It was just so different. I am so glad I am not alone!

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    1. Me too! Even though it isn't your typical read it was so darn good!

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  10. woa told through the mind of a sociopath?? That sounds so fresh and potentially awesome!

    Thanks for putting this one on my radar. I will have to check it out!

    Great Review!

    Michelle @ Book Briefs

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  11. OMG Ali, I have so heard this about the book and mine is sitting quietly on my shelf just waiting for the right frame of mind for me to open the pages.
    Thanks for the wonderful review. I have an interview with Graeme scheduled and I'll link your review to it.
    xo

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    1. I can't wait for you to read it and see what you thought Debbie and I am so excited they will be on your blog! Thank you so much for the link and thinking of me!! <3

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  12. Wow! Sounds like a crazy read. I know I would like this one. It reminds me of I Hunt Killers, which you have to read.

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    1. You will love this Heidi! I so need to grab I Hunt, I have heard so much about it.

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  13. I just saw this somewhere and thought it looked really great. I think books that are told in the "villain's" point of view are fascinating! I must check this one out.

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  14. I just realized that I read this this morning on my phone but couldn't comment, yet thought I did. So I'm back to say YAY! I had no idea you liked it. lol

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  15. A mad narrator or author? Hmm, this sounds wonderful! And the fact that it's not for the faint of heart means I need to read this, don't I? :P

    Hafsah @ IceyBooks

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  16. A book that is told from the POV of a psychopath?? That sounds super interesting!

    I haven't actually read any books told from the POV of a psychopath yet because I am kind of a chicken even though I adore thrillers. Being in the mind of a psychopath, I imagine, would be a whole other experience.

    I am glad to see you enjoyed this one though, Ali!! :)

    Rashika @ The Social Potato

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    1. Honestly if you can handle a thriller I think you can handle this too. It really wasn't scary so much as creepy.

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  17. Oh I just love your enthousiasm for this one, that's so great! I'm curious too now, that's bad lol

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    1. Not bad, good! You will like it, I promise! :P

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  18. I totally agree!!! This was so interesting. It creeps me out how normal he seemed. I constantly think about how many possible killers I have met in my life without even knowing.

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    1. Yes! I think truly, that was the most frightening part of all!

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  19. Haha I always wonder if the author is as crazy as the protagonist when they write a really convincing sociopath too. This sounds really cool! I definitely want to give this one a try. Lovely review!

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  20. Ugh, You're Killing me Ali! The description was awesome, but the review was even better. Just bought a copy off your Amazon link. Cannot WAIT to start reading it!

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  21. I didn't mean to push send yet :). Reading from the killers point of view sounds so fascinating. I have read a few like this and I love it. I don't know if that makes me dark and twisty, but I am okay with it if it does :). Every one needs a little dark and twisty once in a while...right? :)

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  22. ''Is the author a master, or someone just as mad as the narrator? Honestly, I still am not sure.''

    DAMN. Alright, this goes on my wishlist, pronto!!!! O.O

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